Tina sees the baby more as a business, she is in for a shock

CORONATION STREET barmaid Tina McIntyre’s life is about to get even more
complicated – as dad-to-be Gary Windass starts to fall in love with her.

Gorgeous Tina is almost six months’ pregnant as a surrogate mum for Gary and
his disabled girlfriend Izzy Armstrong — but grows worryingly close to Gary
after she arrives back from her latest baby scan to discover her flat has
been burgled.

Single Tina, played by Michelle Keegan, has also lost her job thanks to
Karl Munro burning down the Rovers Return, so is doubly vulnerable.

But Gary (Mikey North) becomes her hero when he offers to stay over to protect
her flat and arranges some extra secretarial shifts for her at the builders’
yard where he works.

With Tina’s baby hormones making her more emotional than normal, and Gary’s
obsessive nature, fans will wonder what their relationship means for poor
Izzy (Cherylee Houston).

Actress Michelle revealed Tina misses all the warning signs about Gary’s
feelings. She says: “Tina is a bit confused over why Gary offers to help her
out. But as soon as he says it was Izzy’s idea she accepts it. She sees it
as them both looking out for her.”

But then she realises it’s more complex. Michelle says: “Obviously she’s
carrying Gary’s baby for him and Izzy — and he’s beginning to get confused,
feeling things for Tina that shouldn’t really be there.”

The break-in leaves Tina needing a shoulder to cry on, especially after she
discovers the thieves took her beloved late father’s ring.

Michelle says: “Tina is confused as to why the ring was stolen and who’s done
it. She’s very upset about it — that’s what she’s most upset about, not the
damage to the flat.

“She calls the police straight away but is quite scared because she lives on
her own.”

Gary and Izzy’s IVF baby is due this summer and Tina has tried not to get too
emotionally involved — not even looking at the results of her hospital scan.
Michelle says: “She wants to stay detached, which is why she doesn’t really
look at the scan on the computer screen.

“She wants Gary and Izzy to share the moment as a couple. She’s doing this for
them and doesn’t want to grow attached to the baby.”

For now, Tina is prepared to give up the child as soon as it is born and go
back to life as usual.

But Michelle fears her screen character is kidding herself. She says: “Tina
thinks it’s all going to be fine, that it is just a business arrangement.

“She knows it’s not her baby and thinks she knows what she has to do — that
she’s not confused by the emotions one bit.

“But maybe she hasn’t thought far enough down the line.”

The surrogacy is Corrie’s biggest upcoming storyline and, if Gary’s feelings
for Tina are ever reciprocated, this could be Weatherfield’s most explosive
love affair, with devastating consequences which would play out for years to
come.

Michelle’s male fans, who have voted her sexiest soap siren four years in a
row, may be unused to seeing her wearing a baby bump and slobbing around in
maternity clobber.

She says: “The best thing about wearing the bump is it keeps me warm in the
cold weather. I’ve also been quite a broody person so it’s nice to have the
bump and to wear maternity clothes. It’s quite cute.

“But it makes it quite awkward to go to the toilet and takes longer to get
changed in the morning.”

Meanwhile, Michelle has already started researching the birth scenes.

She says: “I’m quite excited about filming them. I watch One Born Every Minute
quite a lot so am looking forward to it.”

In another hint about the ITV soap’s plans for Gary and Tina, Michelle
says: “I am looking forward to working with a baby.

“Obviously, I work with little Ruby — Tyrone’s baby — quite a lot and I really
enjoy that. I love kids so am quite excited about it.

“The only thing is, you can’t control babies on set so if I’m doing a scene
where I’m worried about my lines it could be tricky.